and under this president he's run up $7 trillion in deficits. he's averaged a deficit of 9% of gdp. george bush was 2% to 3% of gdp. so, you know, i think the discussion is is it really a tax problem or a tax and a spending problem? if we agree it is spending, let's start to talk about some of the spending. >> where will the compromise come, though? is there room to compromise on the tax percentage, or if you do the sliding scale and move it from the 250,000 benchmark to 500,000 income earnings benchmark. >> i think the discussion the speaker advanced which matches what the president talked about in terms of his campaign of $800 billion in new revenues, getting there through less deductions is on the table. at this point we want to see, mr. president you show us yours and we'll show us ours. these negotiations go step by step closer and closer. i do agree with an early panelist that said the president probably wants to be a little bit freer from his base and so does the speaker to some degree. we are very interested in the spending cuts, and i can tell you that if the president give